Louise Mulgrew, Paper Salad, Tache and Paper D’Art take US honours at Louie Awards
Seven Louie awards are on their way over the Atlantic after four British publishers shared the spoils from the US GCA’s annual honours – with Louise Mulgrew clinching four trophies.
In addition to the magnificent Louise Mulgrew showing at the awards ceremony in San Francisco late on Wednesday, 26 April, Paper Salad, Paper D’Art and Tache also won categories – while US-based newbie PG Live exhibitor Fine Moments collected a trio of trophies.
“I’m so, so chuffed and shocked and happy and confused,” Louise told PG Buzz immediately after her triumph. “I didn’t dare hope to even win one and, somehow, we’ve come away with four, including the honour of Artist Of The Year.
“It was also really special to have the camaraderie of some of our fellow UK publishers and customers the event, including the Paper Salad girls, Redback, The Art File and Miles Robinson from House of Cards. I just feel really lucky and grateful.”
Having been named as one of the three finalists in six of the 50 categories, and a double finalist in two of those, Louise’s card designs triumphed in the Congrats/Special Occasion $5.50 & Below, Father’s Day $5.50 & Below, Valentine’s Day $5.50 & Below categories, as well as scooping the Artist Of The Year award.
The citation said: “The coveted Artist Of The Year award was presented to Louise Mulgrew for her exceptional artistic talent and contributions to the greeting card industry.”
And it was a particularly good evening for Notes & Queries, the leading US distributor of UK card publishers, with three of the companies it represents winning their categories – Paper Salad won Children’s Card Above $5.50, Paper D’Art took the Birthday General Above $5.50 trophy, and Tache added Father’s Day Above $5.50 to the Best Blank Card $5 & Below it won last year.
“We are honestly so bloody chuffed,” Tache co-owner Pennie Bryant told PG Buzz. “To say this is our fifth award overall is just incredible! I actually squeaked with excitement in the office when I read the email from Vanessa Harnik at Notes & Queries.”
US publisher Fine Moments is making the trip to the UK to exhibit at PG Live in June buoyed by winning the Christmas/Seasonal Humorous $5.50 & Below, Halloween $5.50 & Below, and Sympathy $5.50 & Below categories.
The 34th Louie Awards presentations took place at the General’s Residence on the Fort Mason Center For Arts & Culture campus, before the US GCA’s two-day Noted greeting card trade show kicked off at the nearby Festival Pavilion yesterday and today, 27-28 April.
A judging panel of 52 card publishers, retailers, sales representatives, and stationery industry leaders from across the US selected 153 cards as finalists from the 1,016 entered, with 51 being picked from 33 different publishers as winners – E. Frances Paper earned Card Of The Year $5.50 & Below for its outstanding Mother’s Day submission, while Hallmark’s exceptional Halloween card entry was picked as Card Of The Year Above $5.50. The full list of winners can be seen here.
US GCA executive director Nora Weiser said: “The growth of this year’s competition truly reflects the vibrancy of the greeting card industry. As the industry’s highest honour, winning a Louie Award is not only a sign of excellence but also increases winners’ visibility with buyers – and in many cases earns them shelf space at major retail outlets.”
Consumers can buy select Louie finalists’ and winning cards this summer at Barnes & Noble and Paper Source stores around the US, and can also vote for their favourite card as part of the Louie Consumers Choice Awards until July 31, 2023, here. Winners of that public competition will be announced in September and celebrated at next year’s awards ceremony.
